Harness-saddle.



No. 816,450. PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

G. L. FORMAN.

HARNESS SADDLE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7. 1905.

gawanloz UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIGE.

GEORGE L. FORMAN, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

HARNESS-SADDLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 27, 1906.

Application filed October 7,1905. Serial No. 281,763.

conslsts in certain peculiarities in the con-,

struction and arrangement of parts and in certain novel combinations of elements substantially as hereinafter described, and par.

ticularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

It has hitherto been proposed to provide harness-saddles with checkrein-hooks which are adapted to be drawn forward by the forward or downward movement of the horses head and are automatically drawn back to their former positions by springs connected therewith in the upward or rearward movement of the horses head. While such idea is recognized as having some advantages in that it permits a limited freedom of movement of the horses head without putting a strain on the rein of the bridle-that is to say, on the checkrein or overdrawand keeps said rein or overdraw taut at all times, yet the previous embodiments thereof have been unsatisfactory to such an extent as toprevent their use. Among the principal causes of the non-adoption of the devices embodying such idea is the fact that they have been constructed with a view of mounting them above and upon the seat in the place occupied by the ordinary check-hook, thus locating them conspicuously in view and marring the appearance of the saddle. Another cause of dissatisfaction is due to the fact that they contemplate the use of a bolt for securing them, said bolt extending through the tree and being provided beneath the latter with a holding-nut which forms a projection which bears upon and rubs the back of the animal, soon producing a sore, if the use of the saddle a is continued.

vide a bearing-surface having no projecting parts liable to rub the horses back.

Another of the important objects of the invention is to provide a harness-saddle with a checkrein-hook or other suitable means for connection with the before-mentioned bridlerein adapted to be moved relatively to the seat and provided with a means for returning it to its normal position, which returning means is arranged in a space provided therefor within the saddle, and the final or ultimate object of the invention, secured by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is to provide a harness-saddle comprising a movable checkrein-hook having its automatic returning means located within the saddle in a most convenient place in said saddle; further, having its parts so connected with each other as to avoid the necessity'of employing a fastening means which will be liable to produce a sore on the back of the animal.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a saddle embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the spring-drum which carries the strap of the check; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the rear portion of a seat and tree, showing a slightly-modified form.

The same numerals of reference designate the same parts in the several views.

1 designates the tree of the saddle. Said tree may be of the usual or any suitable construction and of any suitable size and material. The seat, however, in the preferred embodiment herein shown of the invention is of peculiar construction for the purpose of providing within it a chamber adapted to contain the means employed to keep the checkrein or overdraw taut and at the same time permit a limited movement of the checkhook and corresponding forward and backward movement of the horses head. It also is of peculiar construction to obviate the necessity of employing the bolt-and-nut connecting means hereinbefore referred to. The particular form of seat shown in the accompanying drawings and now to be described is believed to be the best embodiment of the ideas upon which the present invention is of the invention.

founded, carrying, as it does, said ideas into practice in a most practical way and embracing all of the several advantageous features I wish it understood at the outset, however, that while the detail construction shown is preferred,yet changes therein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The seat shown comprises an upper wall 2,

the rear portion 3 of which extends inclinatorily upward and rearward. Said seat throughout its length is provided with flanges which extend downward from its top wall and form side walls 4, and said side walls bear upon the tree 1 and are connected with each other at the front by means of a transversely-extending bridge-piece 5, while at the ,rear they are connected with each other by a flange which forms a rear wall 6, which closes the rear end of the seat. The several walls are preferably gracefully curved and merge one into the other, thus adding to the attractive appearance of the saddle. Said seat is secured to the tree 1 at the front by means of a screw 8, the head of which is preferably countersunk in said tree, while its stem extends into said bridge-piece. The rear of the seat preferably has a hook engagement with the tree, and said engagement is preferably effected by means of bent-over lips 9 or a flange projecting forward from the free edge of the rear wall 6 of the seat and adapted to take under the rear edge of the tree. 21 designates the crupper-loop. It will be observed that the seat thus formed provides communicating chambers 10 and 11 in the front and rear portions thereof, respectively. Said rear chamber 11, which is arranged in the vertically-enlarged rear portion of the seat, is adapted to contain the means for automatically returning the checkhook 13 to its rear position, which means preferably comprises a spring-drum 12, and the forward chamber 10 provides a passage through which extends the strap 14, by means of which said drum is connected with said hook. The open front end or mouth of said forward chamber, moreover, is contracted by the bridge-piece 5, which thus cooper-- ates with the side walls of said chamber in guiding the strap 14 in its movements.

In order to support the drum 12 in position, the rear portion of the seat is formed with depending flanges 15, which extend into its chamber 11 and are spaced apart to permit the drum to be arranged between them. Said flanges have openings 16 adapted to re ceive, and the Walls of which form bearings for, the projecting ends of a fixed shaft 17, upon which the drum 12 is mounted to rotate. Said openings 16 preferably extend from and through an edge of the respective flanges in order to permit the introduction thereinto of the shaft 17 when the drum is mounted thereon, and said openings are preferably L-shaped, as shown, to efficiently hold the shaft in place While permitting it to be inserted. from the edges of the flanges, as set forth. Said flanges may terminate short of the rear wall 6 and bottoms or edges of the walls 4, as shown best in Figs. 2 and 3, or they may extend to said rear wall and edges in order to brace said wall and bear upon, the tree 1, as shown in Fig. 5, in which they are designated by the reference characters 15 and their slots by the characters 16. Said drum 12 is provided with a coiled spring 18, one end of which is attached to the drum and the other end of which is attached to said shaft. The purpose of said spring, obviously, is to wind back upon the drum the portion of the strap 14 unwound therefrom in the forward movement of the horses head and to keep said strap taut at all times. In practice the spring will preferably be of strength suflicient not only to rewind the strap, but, furthermore, to provide some additional force which must be overcome in order to draw the strap and check-hook forward, whereby the purpose of the overdraw or checkrein will not be lost.

In assembling the parts the drum is inserted to its place in the seat through the open lower end of the latter and the ends of its shaft are introduced into the bearings provided therefor in the flanges 15 or 15. The free end of the strap 14 is then drawn outward throughthe chamber or passage 10 and the check-hook 13 is secured thereto. After this has been done the seat is secured to the tree 1 by engaging its rear lip or lips 9 with the rear edge of the latter and by screwing the forward edge of the tree to the bridgepiece 5. The saddle is then completed by mounting on said seat and tree the usual or any suitable coverings and pads, which form no part of the present invention. In the assembled position of the parts the check-hook 13 is at the forward edge of the tree and proj ects into the open front end or mouth of the chamber 10 and its rear movement is stopped by the forward end of the seat. The entire checkrein or overdraw mechanism, with the exception of the hook, is concealed within the seat, so that it not only is protected thereby, but, furthermore, its presence does not mar the appearance of the saddle. Again, the parts are readily assembled, and the device as a Whole is of the most durable, inexpensive, and pleasing appearance and presents none of the projections which render saddles uncomfortable to the animal and are liable to and do produce sores by rubbing the skin over the backbone.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have so altered the construction of the ordinary harness-saddle as to provide within the same a space which extends beneath the seat of the saddle and is adapted to contain a returning meansthat is to say, a means for keeping the bridle-rein taut while permitting movement of the horses headinto which space projects a suitable supporting means for said returning means and which space has an open end from which said returning means is adapted to extend. It will further be apparent that I have embodied such novel and advantageous features of construction in a construction of saddle which is further new and advantageous as to the details of its seat and as to the manner of connecting its seat and tree with each other, and generally that a saddle constructed as herein set forth embraces advantageous features of construction and arrangement which will readily commend it to those persons who desire a means for keeping the checkrein or overdraw taut while permitting limited downward movement of the headof the animal, but who have been deterred from using the arrangements hitherto proposed for such purpose because of the location of the same upon and outside of the saddle, as aforesaid. A check-hook constitutes a most desirable means for con necting the strap of the returning means with the checkrein or overdraw 20, for which reason it is preferred; but other means suitable for the purpose may be employed and will be regarded as within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I believe to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A harness-saddle provided interiorly with a space which extends beneath its seat and has an open mouth, supporting means in said space, and a returning mechanism supported by said supporting means and extend ing beneath said seatand provided with means for connecting the same with the bridle-rein of the harness.

2. A harness-saddle provided interiorly with a space which extends beneath its seat and has an open mouth, supporting means in said space, a spring-drum mounted in said space and upon said supporting means, a strap extending from said drum and beneath said seat and means for connecting said strap with the bridle-rein of the harness.

3. A harness-saddle comprising a seat and a tree and having a chamber between the same, a supporting means in said chamber, and a returning means mounted in said chamber and supported by said supporting means, said returning means being movable relatively to said seat and having means adapted to connect it with the bridle of the harness.

4. A harness-saddle, comprising a seat and a tree, said seat being constructed to provide, between it and the tree, communicating chambers which are located one in advance of the other and of which the rear chamber is of greater diameter than the forward chamber and said forward chamber having an open mouth, a supporting means arranged in said rear chamber, and a returning means for said hook, carried by said supporting means and having a strap extending into said forward chamber and adapted to be drawn thence through the open forward end of the same, said strap having means adapted to connect it with the bridle-rein of the harness.

5. A harness saddle, comprising a seat which is expanded at its rear end and has side and rear flanges which depend from its upper wall and are relatively arranged to form in the body of said seat communicating chambers which extend longitudinally thereof and are closed at the side and rear by said flanges, and a returning means supported in the rear chamber and extending through the forward chamber and provided with means adapted to connect it with the bridle-rein of ,the harness. D1.

6. Aharness-saddle, comprising aiseat having top, side and rear walls relatively arranged to provide within it communicating chambers, located one in advance of the other, the rear chamber being expanded with respect to the forward chamber and said forward chamber having an open mouth, a supporting means in said rear chamber, and a returning means mounted in said rear chamber upon said supporting means and having a part adapted to extend through the forward chamber and provided with means for connecting it With the bridle-rein of the harness.

7. Aharness-saddle, comprising a seat having top, side and rear Walls relatively arranged to provide Within it communicating chambers located one in advance of the other, one of said chambers having spaced flanges within its interior, a check-hook adapted to move relatively to said seat, and a returning means for said hook, supported by said flanges and connected with said hook.

8. A harness-saddle, comprising a seat vertically expanded at the rear and having an upper wall provided with depending side and rear flanges relatively arranged to provide communicating chambers which extend longitudinally of the seat and are closed at the side and rear and open at the front, a springdrum mounted to rotate in the vertically-expanded rear chamber of the seat, a strap on said drum, extending thence into the forward chamber and adapted to be drawn through the open forward end of the latter and a checkhook connected with the forward end of said strap.

9. Aharness-saddle, comprising a seat having a chamber formed within it and provided within said chamber with spaced flanges, a spring-drum supported by said flanges and mounted to rotate between the same, a strap mounted on said drum and a check-hook connected with said strap.

10. A harness-saddle, comprising a seat vertically expanded at the rear and having an upper wall, side walls and a rear wall relatively Hirranged to provide communicating chambeg s closed at the top, sides and rear,

anges in said rear chamber, a checktapted to move relatively to said seat and a spring-actuated returning means for said hook, connected therewith and arranged in said chambers and supported by said flanges.

11. A harness-saddle, comprising a seat vertically expanded at the rear and having an upper wall, side walls and a rear Wall relatively arranged to provide communicating chambers closed at the top, sides and rear, s aced flanges in said rear chamber, said anges having slots, a shaft supported by said flanges and having its ends mounted in said slots, a drum mounted to rotate on said shaft, a spring connected to said drum and shaft, a strap mounted on said drum, and a check-hook connected with said strap.

12. A harnesssaddle, comprising a chambered seat having a bridge-piece at its forward end, a tree secured to said bridgepiece, a check-hook adapted to move relatively to said seat and a returning means for said hook connected therewith and arranged within the chamber in said seat.

13. Aharness-saddle provided with a chamber arranged beneath the upper surface of its seat, a supporting means arranged in said chamber, a check-hook adapted to move relatively to said saddle, and a returning means for said hook carried by said supporting means.

14. A harness-saddle provided interiorly with a chamber which is open at the front end, a supporting means arranged in said chamber, a check-hook outside said chamber, and a returning means for said hook, comprising a spring-drum which is mounted in said chamber and upon said supporting means and is provided with a strap which is adapted to extend through the open front end of the saddle, and is connected with said hook.

15. A harness-saddle provided interiorly with a space which extends longitudinally thereof, beneath its seat and is open at the front, a supporting means arranged in said space, a connecting device movable outside of said space and in position to have its rearward movement stopped by the front end of said seat, and a returning means for said device, supported in said space and upon said supporting means and provided with a strap which extends longitudinally of said space and is connected with said device.

16. A harness-saddle provided interiorly with a space which extends longitudinally thereof beneath its seat and is open at the front, a supportin means arranged in said space, a check-hoo movable outside of said space and in position to have its rearward movement stopped by the front end of said seat, and a returning means for said device, comprising a spring-drum mounted in said space and upon said supporting means and provided with a strap which extends longitudinally of said chamber and is connected with said hook.

17. A harness saddle comprising a seat and a tree and having a space between the same, a bridge-piece extending across but not closing one end of said space and connected with said seat and tree, a lip connecting the tree and seat with each other at the end remote from said bridge-piece, and a returning means adapted to be connected with the bridle-rein and supported in said space.

18. A harness-saddle, comprising a chambered seat having a bridge-piece at one end and a lip at the other end, a tree one end of which is secured to said bridge-piece and the other end of which is engaged by said lip, a movable check-hook, and a returning means for said hook connected therewith and arranged in the chamber in said seat.

19. A harnesssaddle, comprising a chambered seat having a bridge-piece at one end and a lip at its other end, a tree one end of which is secured to said bridge-piece and the other end of which is engaged by said lip, a movable check-hook, and a returning means for said check-hook, connected therewith and arranged in the chamber in said seat, said returning means comprising a spring-drum and means extending through said seat and connecting said drum with said hook.

20. A harness-saddle, comprising a seat and a tree, flanges projecting from one of the same toward the other, a checkhook adapted to move relatively to said saddle and an automatic returning means for said hook mounted between said seat and tree and supported by said flanges.

21. A harness-saddle, comprising a seat and a tree, flanges projecting from one of the same toward the other, a check-hook adapted to move relatively to said saddle and an automatic returning means for said hook comprising a spring-drum mounted between said seat and tree and supported by said flanges.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE L. FORMAN.

Witnesses:

JosIAH B. GOTHRIGHT,

S, Foorn.

ITO 

